I Am African
By now most people have likely seen the I Am African ads. Created by Iman for the Keep A Child Alive charity, the ads have set off a tirade of commentary (Paltrow, especially, got a furious scathing online). These ads and their parodies (ex. I Am Gwyneth Paltrow) present an interesting opportunity to examine the concept itself, the effectiveness of the execution, and the simple power of type and image to illicit reaction.From the Exercising My Write blog: "The ads are attention-grabbing, yes, but do they call attention to the right thing? Do they accomplish their goal of drawing attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic? Or will the intended message be lost in a flurry of outrage over overstepped boundaries of racial and cultural delineation? And if I don't agree to the proposed solution, is it okay for me to accept the ads because I agree with the underlying message of the campaign?" Or, more succinctly, "Why would Sarah Jessica Parker's endorsement encourage me to support this cause?"
Now that they've been around a few months and people have had time to digest them, what do you think about these ads as a design exercise? Comments welcome.
posted by kate at 3:06 PM
7 Comments:
Hi Kate - this is the first time I've seen these ads, and in my opinion they're not doing much as far as an awareness campaign goes. It's also terribly in vogue to publicly state one's support for ailing old Africa, or adopt an African child. Perhaps an effort to raise one's personal profile, in support of a 'cause'. I am an African - spiritually and geographically - and these kinds of things make my skin crawl. Along with Oprah, Alfre, Sam Jackson, P D(?)ddy, Danny Glover et al's "coming home" each time they hit our shores. That's my 2 (South African) cents worth!
I will be coiffed, preened and painted for Africa today I promise!
As a Vogue or Rolling Stone thematic photoshoot, that parade of blingmeat would be fine.
But the site (for I've not seen the ads) does not get the message across and if you hadn't given a rundown, I still might be nonethewiser about the aims (actually, I am - as a design project it is pretty miserable in that I've come away from there without really knowing what the aim is, beyond a conciousness raising which I presume is not the main thang).
Perhaps thats a webdesign dilemma or whatever, but I have not walked off with the message so no amount of war paint and jiggling images of celebs can be considered good design in my opinion).
But what do I know? Squat. Still.
(Blingmeat -- brilliant, pk) The ads make me wish I were back in design school, ripping them apart as a part of a class discussion. Every time I see them here in New York they make me stop and laugh out loud. I finally saw the Sting one in a magazine -- too, too awful! I think they should be studied as failures.
sarah jessica parker's endorsement usually inspires me to do nothing but vomit. africans are dying of aids and we get carrie bradshaw in war paint? you gotta love this country... design wise they tank -- this is more about celebrity antics.
i think the I AM GWENYTH PALTROW one should be studied as a design exercise
No one was talking about the epidemic in Africa until celebrities stepped in stepped up with their support and $$$. If you are aware of the ads, you are aware of the cause and just like Benettons award-winning ads, they spark a conversation. That is the point of a campaign. Mission accomplished.
COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ANONYMOUS.. its not like everday Americans are doing anything but we are bashing celebrities for trying to do something? even if some of them are doing it for their own publicity its not taking away from the most important thing..AIDS and poverty and Africa are still getting the donations and attention it needs.
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